Highly-rated Sparta Rotterdam midfielder Ryan Sanusi is targeting a place in Nigeria's 23-man World Cup roster.

Born in Borgerhout, Belgium twenty five years ago to a Nigerian father and Belgian mother, Sanusi is eligible to represent both nations and has one cap for the Europeans at U20 level.

''It's not something I'm really working on, but it would of course be great,'' voetbalbelgie.be citing Het Algemeen Dagblad quoted Ryan Sanusi as saying.

''After all, every player wants the highest possible, and you can not come higher than a World Cup as a football player, and the Belgian team will be a difficult story for me.

''But who knows, there is a chance for me to represent Nigeria in the World Cup.

''In Nigeria there are also a lot of good footballers, but it seems to me that I will get a chance there rather than in Belgium, although I do not really take it into account, I focus entirely on Sparta. ''

Ryan Sanusi's cousin, Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Mousa Dembélé , is set to represent Belgium at the 2018 World Cup.